Greenbutts inks natural fiber cigarette filter distribution deal  

In San Diego, a company producing biodegradable cigarette filters from natural fibers has tapped H.I.E Handelsgesellschaft mbH to distribute its products in Poland.

Established in 1984, Bremen, Germany-based H.I.E. supplies all non-tobacco products to the Eastern European market. “As the industry is facing transition by single-use plastic legislation and strengthening environmental commitments in the European Union we are very pleased to partner with Greenbutts to offer our customers a certified biodegradable filter solution,” Marc Sohns, Managing Director of H.I.E, said in a press statement.  “We will ramp up our supply chain of sustainable substrate in 2024 for our clients in Poland and be in a position to provide them supply and support for the Greenbutts material.”

Greenbutts filters will disperse in water within a few minutes or degrade in compost within days, as opposed to 10-15 years it takes traditional cellulose acetate filters. Greenbutts’ natural filter technology is fully patented in the U.S., U.K., Canada and is patent pending in additional countries, covering key geographies in the cigarette industry.